Agencies get together to ‘Get Ready’ for disaster

Deputy Mayor Donna Gates today launched the City’s annual disaster preparedness campaign Get Ready Gold Coast, as emergency response and recovery agencies from across the Gold Coast came together to exercise and test the City’s disaster response plans.

The Queensland Government, which will launch the 2017-18 Get Ready Queensland state wide campaign on 8 October, provides City of Gold Coast with funding to deliver Get Ready Gold Coast to engage and educate local communities to build resilience against future disaster events.

Speaking from Reedy Creek where one of the City’s three permanent sandbagging sites was being activated as part of the exercise, Cr Gates said the impact of ex-tropical Cyclone Debbie was a stark and recent reminder for both agencies and residents to be prepared.

“Storm season is just around the corner and Get Ready Gold Coast reminds residents to prepare their homes, have an emergency plan and pack an emergency kit,” she said.

“As well as the severe flooding we saw earlier this year, cyclones, storms, bushfires and heat waves are the kinds of major natural incidents our city can face every year.

“As a community, our best protection in any disaster is to be prepared.

“Today’s multiagency disaster preparedness exercise will test planning, response and recovery experts from City of Gold Coast, SES, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, GOLDOC, and others on their readiness to respond to a disaster.

“Conducting regular exercises is part of our program of ongoing disaster preparedness training. We work very closely all year round with our emergency services agencies and responding organisations to ensure we’re ready if we are affected by a disaster,” Cr Gates said.

For more information on how to prepare your home, create an emergency plan and pack an emergency kit pick up a copy of the Community Disaster Guide at local libraries and customer service centres or visit cityofgoldcoast.com.au/getready